iWork4Him PowerThought

What is the number one goal of most businesses? I'll give you a hint: it starts with a "P" and it ends with "-ofit." That's right, the marketplace is built on profit - on financial gain. But God calls us to a different kind of business: the business of people. Kingdom minded businesses are founded not on a bottom line, but on a bottomless faith. They are all about ETERNAL profit. In Matthew 16:26 Jesus said, "And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?" You are a one of kind commodity – and guess what? So are your bosses, employees, coworkers, and clients! Start investing in the people around you because when you share your faith, you reap a heavenly profit that can never be taken away!

We recently talked with Brenda Long, the Former Director of Infrastructure Operations at Food for the Hungry, about what it takes to end an issue as large as global poverty – her answer: partnership and cooperation. When we face enormous tasks - like ending hunger or bringing the gospel to every tribe, tongue, and nation - we must remember that we are simply a part of the solution, not the whole thing. None of us can do it alone! We each have a small part to play. Luke 6:10 says, "If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large things." So, as God entrusts you with small opportunities to partner with him and other believers for His Kingdom's glory, how will you respond? Remember, you are a part of Jesus's missions team in the workforce!

You've probably heard the phrase, "actions speak louder than words." And as true as that may be, our words are still a vital part of our testimony! What we say and how we say it can either build up the people around us or tear them down; draw them to Christ or push them away. Ephesians 4:29 says, "Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them." What kind of words are coming out of your mouth at work? Do you swear? Do you gossip? Do you complain? Do you make sarcastic jokes? Or do you inspire, compliment, and motivate the people around you? I want to challenge you to add three positive and uplifting comments into your workplace conversation each day this week and see what kind of response you get!

The other day I heard about an easy conversational tip to help build quick relationships with new people no matter what situation you're in – from the office to the bus to the breakroom! It's called the FORD Method. The FORD Method is an acronym where the "F" stands for Family, "O" for Occupation, "R" for Recreation, and "D" for Dreams. By asking the other person questions in each of these four categories, there is no reason why you can't turn coworkers into friends, strangers into clients, and customers into regulars. So, who do you want to connect with on a deeper level this week? I challenge you to ask them more about their family, their feelings about their position or job, what they like to do in their free time, and their real dreams - then pray for open doors to share the gospel!

Have you ever found yourself caught up in petty workplace rivalries? If you have, then you know that they can get ugly – fast! When we play the comparison game, it's easy to spend more time looking over at our neighbor's desk and critiquing their work than actually focusing on doing our own work with excellence. In 2 Thessalonians 3:11-12 the Apostle Paul writes, "We hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people's business. We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work..." Nothing good comes from jealousy, gossip, idleness, or comparison. So next time you find yourself tempted to peek over at your coworker's progress or lack of progress and decide to make a comment, stop and remember Paul's command to settle down and get to work!

What do you see when you look at your boss, coworkers, or employees? Do you see annoyances and frustrations, or do you see the image of God? As Christians, we believe that God creates all people in His own likeness, each one worthy and inherently valuable. And what's more, each person is also loved by God! Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Take that in for a second: Jesus loves your boss, coworkers, and employees so much that he was willing to die for them! Do your words and actions at work reflect Christ's love to those around you? Or do you find yourself slipping into judgment and anger? This week, I want to challenge you to treat everyone you meet with the love, dignity, and respect of Christ!

In our book, iWork4Him, Bob Willbanks writes about how he was "miserably saved." A condition where one is focused more on a life guided by the American Dream than on a life guided by Jesus. This mindset may have brought Bob worldly success and riches, but it also led him down the road of alcoholism, cost him his first marriage, and almost cost him his second. He was on the fast track to disaster until Jesus met him there. So, what about you? Are you miserably saved? Do you feel like your faith gets in the way of your dreams and ambitions? Or are your dreams and ambitions guided and set by your faith? Remember, true faith will direct you to set aside yourself and your selfish ambitions to seek God's purposes. When you rest in the promises of God and value the type of success that bears eternal fruits, you will cultivate a flourishing faith and abundant life.

In Matthew 10:27, a lawyer asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. The answer: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself." God wants your whole life; He isn't interested in just a part of it. He doesn't just want your Sunday mornings. He wants it all. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty-five days a year (and three hundred and sixty-six on leap years). And guess what? That includes the hours you spend at work! Following Jesus is not a part-time gig. It's all the time. So take a second and ask yourself if you have invited Jesus to come to work with you or if have you relegated Him to your private life.

During the work week, most people spend 40 hours at their job, 40 hours sleeping, and 40 hours for everything else – including commute time, chores, eating, hobbies, relaxation, and family time. This means, the greatest sphere of interpersonal influence you have is probably your job. Tracy Matthews from Attune said in a recent interview that, "Time spent at work typically consumes the largest share of waking hours and is one of our greatest arenas of character formation and external influence." In other words, your job is not just a job… it's an opportunity to impact the lives of others for Christ. The workplace is the largest mission field in the world and you are already deployed there! Don't waste a second of it! God wants to use you to reach your coworkers, employees, clients, and bosses with the love of Christ! How can you engage in your workplace mission field today?

Too often, when we hear the word "generous" we think only of financial giving. But what if God is calling us to be generous with our whole lives – not just our bank accounts? Proverbs 11:25 says, "Generous persons will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed." What if we redefined generosity as anything that refreshes those around us? In other words, taking time to listen, being lavish with our compliments, leaving room in our schedule to build relationships, using our influence to lift others up, and applying our talents to lighten the workload of our coworkers? Imagine the kind of cultural change our workplaces would have if we made a habit of refreshing others instead of draining them with negativity or exhaustion! Ask the Holy Spirit to redefine your idea of generosity this week!

If I had a quarter for every time I'm talking with someone about work and they say, "I just wish I knew what my purpose was," I would be a very rich man. We have been fed a lie in America that there is one exact job that God is calling us to, and if we miss that career path, we have somehow missed His purpose for us. But in Matthew 28:16 Jesus gives us the ultimate calling. He says, "Go and make disciples of all nations." Period. That is our purpose – our calling. To make disciples of all nations… including that grumpy coworker or difficult boss. In a recent interview, Pete Ochs said, "Your job or platform is really just the venue that God's given you to live out your purpose… to honor God." So remember, no matter what job you hold, your unchanging purpose is to share the good news of Jesus with everyone around you!

In Luke 9:23 Jesus says, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." In other words, if you are going to follow after Jesus, you have to be willing for faith to cost you something. Drew Crandall from North East Christians at Work told us in a recent interview that, "It's relatively easy to be a Christ-follower at church on the weekend. But exporting, or integrating, your faith into the workplace is a challenge!" In other words, it's easy to be a one-day a week Christian… it's a whole other thing to invite Christ into your everyday. But trust me when I say the effort is worth it! Are you ready to take the challenge and commit to being a workplace missionary? Check out the iWork4Him Nation Covenant on our website, at iWork4Him.com/jointhenation.

When you are faced with a difficult person, a disagreement with your spouse, an unfair situation at work, or a complaining coworker – what is your initial response? Is it to open your mouth? Or is it to open your Bible? Too often we speak out of anger, frustration, or even a misguided sense of justice, without first seeking out the heart of our Heavenly Father. This type of response – more often than not - leads to broken relationships and unwise choices. However, when we take the time to consult with God FIRST about the challenging situations in our lives, he is faithful to answer in a way that brings life, goodness, and restoration to everyone around us. Colossians 3:17 says, "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus." Next time you're frustrated, try opening your Bible before your mouth.

The International Encyclopedia of Human Geography defines Worldview as, "a set of beliefs or a mental model of reality that influences the way people perceive, think, know, and act in the world." When was the last time that you really considered how you view the world? What are the things that influence how you think and act in the workplace on a daily basis? This week, we want to invite you to recalibrate your heart and mind to a biblical worldview. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 12:2, "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think." Before your feet hit the floor in the morning, pray that the Holy Spirit would give you his eyes, heart, and mind for those you work with, and see how He changes your perspective!

Have you ever left a conversation where you felt like the other person really understood you and cared about your life? If you have, chances are good that the reason you felt this way was because they genuinely listened to you. The truth is, it's impossible to get to know someone when we do all the talking. Instead, we have to ask questions, pause, and listen to the answer without interrupting or turning the conversation back to us and our interests. James 1:19 says, "My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry." How well do you listen to the people you work with? How about the customer or client that has a lot of complaints? Or the coworker who does things differently than you? I want to challenge you to speak less and listen more today.

Most companies are run with one thing in mind: the bottom line. According to the world, the most important measurement of a truly successful business is profit. But what if money and profit margin aren't how God defines success? Almost every Kingdom-minded company that we've interviewed over the last nine years has said that, in the end, successful and healthy business is all about people over profit. This may be contrary to what we are normally taught… but isn't that so like Jesus?! In the upside-down Kingdom of God, service and souls are the real measure of success. Matthew 6:33 says, "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." So, stop worrying solely about the bottom line and instead concern yourself with the eternal souls that walk through your door today!

We spend more than one-third of our life at work. Yet sadly, Barna research shows nearly two-thirds of churched adults say it has been at least three years or more since they heard church teachings on work and career, and yet, the workplace is where most Americans spend the biggest share of their waking hours. What can YOU do, to introduce your church to the importance of faith and work? Invite your pastor to your office, and ask him or her to pray for your team, your clients and your year for maximum impact for the Kingdom. What day this month will YOU invite YOUR pastor to work? For more recommended resources and ideas, go to our Resources page on iwork4him.com.

Relationship. Relational. Is there any better word to describe Christianity that sets our "religion" apart from all others? Our faith is based solely on relationship. And is there any better model for us to follow? In our life, in our work? And the basis of this relationship model is LOVE. 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing. Are you a NOISY GONG in YOUR workplace? We invite you to SHIFT to LOVE in your workplace today.

Money. We all need it to live. Is your view of money healthy and in alignment with biblical principles? Is the WAY you use it serving man, or God and His Kingdom. 1 John 3:17 says If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God's love be in that person? How about your income? How about your company's revenue? Are you tithing from your corporate revenue stream? Have you ever considered it? We challenge you today, to pray about your personal and corporate tithing. And ask God HOW YOU should be using the income He's blessed YOU WITH to serve your fellow man, God and His Kingdom.

There is a word that defines the bible, defines Christ, and defines leadership. That word is LOVE. But isn't love seemingly contrary to business and how it operates? Or IS IT? Did you ever have a bad boss? What quality of work did you do for them? Did you ever have a great boss? One that got the absolute best work from you? What was the difference in those two bosses? I'll bet it was LOVE. Love that respects, listens, appreciates and builds up. 1 John 3:11 This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Said another way, control disconnects. Love connects. This connection (which is actually LOVE) translates to the bottom line. We invite you to pick ONE DAY AT WORK THIS WEEK, and TRY IT.

"Why is it important for all Christians in every area of culture to rise up in their calling? Because biblical truth is the highest love for human beings." That's a quote from Kelly Monroe Kullberg, Founder of the Harvard Veritas Forum. So, we're wondering…Are you living YOUR calling where you're working? On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate YOUR WORK in terms of "a calling"? Are you enabling others in YOUR place of work, to RISE UP in THEIR calling? There's nothing so miserable than when we feel trapped in our job, due to perceived circumstances. Or a job that doesn't utilize our God-given gifts and talents. If you scored less than a 7, we invite you to go do some work on "what your calling is". And start working it!

There is a truth about work that has been lost to much of our culture since the creation of the world. It is that GOD CREATED WORK. He created work for us, to do together and for HIS glory. Genesis 2: 19 So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. Work is NOT a PUNISHMENT, it's a GIFT. And God wants to JOIN US in it. Every day. He DELIGHTS in it. He is our team-mate, just as He was with Adam. He brought the animals TO Adam to name. So how about YOU? Won't you invite God to work WITH YOU today? WHEREVER He has place you?

Do you want to see your workplace as a place to live out your faith? Your work is a place where you finally get that chance to be involved in fulltime ministry. Then do these things. 1st Start praying for those you work around, by name every day. 2nd look for ways to serve those same people over and above what your job requires you to do. 3rd look for ways to build a friendship with those you work with, outside of work, where real relationships can develop. 4th Look for ways to pray with people when you see them having a rough day. And 5th, all along be a person of excellence, in your work. Do these things and you will see your workplace transformed by God right before your eyes. We call this the iWork4Him Nation Covenant.

What if our WORK WAS our WORSHIP? The Hebrew word avodah means work, worship, and service, altogether! Work: being productive, worship: praising and glorifying God and service: a form of service to the world and our community. We are MEANT to be of service, to be PARTNERS with God in the ongoing creation of the world. The various usages of this Hebrew word that is first found in Genesis 2:15 shows us it was God's ORIGINAL DESIGN and DESIRE that our work and our worship would be a SEAMLESS WAY of living, as it was thousands of years ago. What about YOU? Are you making the work of YOUR hands every day AVODAH? You're invited today to start worshiping God with your work.

How do you make a decision when faced with a MAJOR WORK LIFE CHANGE? Do you do it alone? Do you ask a bunch of friends? Do you list out the pros and cons? Is there a biblical model for seeking and knowing God's will? There is. Here's the way a CEO and his wife used to decide whether to leave their business OR go into ministry in another state. They prayed together on their knees and fasted over several months. They sought no other council, only God's. They read the bible and then paid attention to God's answers and direction. They received many confirmations and affirmations through this process, that led them to HIS answer. This is a great example of GOD-LED, GOD-FEARING decision making. How could you use THIS decision making model in a decision YOU need to make today?

When's the last time you were UNCOMFORTABLE, OR PUT YOURSELF IN A POSITION TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE in your work? Discomfort = growth, and comfort = stagnation. The people doing the most growing are the ones that submit to spiritual and personal growth, like having a group of fellow Christ followers, who challenge them and hold them accountable, in their professional life, their leadership and business. You know what they say, if you're not growing, you're dying. The wisdom of Proverbs 27:17 says As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. John Maxwell said it best: If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone. What will YOU do this week, in your professional life, to be challenged and GROW?

After years of meeting with and interviewing people from all types of work and all organizational levels, there is one major truth that keeps bubbling up to the surface. The investment IN PEOPLE, above all else, pays not only Kingdom dividends, but business dividends as well. This is what Christ did, and it is the ultimate example of Christ's holy character: Matthew 20:28 says "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." When we invest in our employees, the next generation, or future leaders in our workplace, we are giving away our life as a true Christ follower. What is ONE commitment you will make today, to start investing in the life of another in YOUR workplace?

Per a 2015 Barna Group study, only 20 percent of Christian adults are involved in some sort of discipleship activity. And, less than one-quarter of Christian adults (23%) are currently being discipled by someone one-on-one. Discipleship in the context of work is known as "mentorship". How about YOU? Are you allowing someone to mentor you as a Christ follower in your work? And if you are a "seasoned" professional, Are YOU making it a priority to intentionally mentor a next generation co-worker? We encourage you to pray about mentorship this week and ask the Lord "Who would you like me to mentor Lord?" and "Would you provide a God-honoring mentor for me?"

I think it's safe to say that the media focuses on, and provides negative news these days. Should we just take it, and keep feeding ourselves this negativity? How does this affect your work? Do you take it with you? What are you chatting with your co-workers about? And are you feeding the beast of "all that's wrong with world"? Or are you speaking life at work. We can, and should consciously choose what we WILL and WILL NOT listen to. Philippians 4:8 exhorts us: And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. We invite you today, to observe WHAT you speak at work, and shift it to glorifying God.

I heard a clever quip the other day about trying to take control from God's hands. God is writing the story of your life: so STOP TRYING TO GRAB THE PEN FROM HIS HAND! This applies to our work as well. Sometimes we think we are living God's plan for us in our work when we are actually just "taking Jesus with us". And only praying to Him to ask for blessings on what we are doing at work. How can we know when we've succeeded in FOLLOWING Christ in our work? By changing our mindset to one of FOLLOWING, vs. LEADING. Why not start your work day with a prayer like this: Father, today, I commit my hands to YOUR work. As you lead me, may YOUR will be done and may YOU be glorified in all I do. Amen.

Being intentional seems to be a consistent hallmark of followers of Christ. Because Christ is our best example of intentionality. Intentionality is defined as being deliberate or purposeful. How about you? How are you working with intentionality today? In the office, with your co-workers, intentionally representing Christ and showing His love and patience to everyone you come in contact with? Most days we may just be unconsciously going through our work day. We invite you to begin today by going before the father and asking Him: "Here's all I have, what do YOU want me to do with it today? What is YOUR priority today, Lord?" And then living that out as we step into our work, and every other place our feet may wander.

Have you ever wondered what the benefits would be, if you turned your company over to God? Would the profits fly out the window and productivity take a nose-dive? We've polled Christ-following employers and their employees and here's what THEY say the benefits are: Increasingly happier and more stress free employees (which leads to increasing productivity, less absenteeism and much higher retention rates)… All of which make for a great business! WOW! What are YOU waiting for? No excuses! We challenge you today, to start making a list of what you would need to do, to turn your company over to God, and then do ONE of those items this week!

Have you ever experienced a major upheaval in your business or work life? Something that looked like it was taking you in the opposite direction of where you were headed? Or was (you thought) the next logical step? It's highly possible that God is using this to move you to exactly where HE wants you to be. For HIS work, in HIS time, for THIS season. Let Romans 8:28 encourage you today, and we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. God is orchestrating it all, for His glory. This week, as you experience upheaval in your work life, why not turn to Romans 8:28? And even place a copy of it on your desk?

What if today, we committed to operate our businesses from a philosophy of "It's not about WHAT we sell or HOW MUCH we sell, it's about the LIVES we TOUCH and CHANGE." That's "God's way of doing business". And it's the exact OPPOSITE of everything we have been taught as professional business people. But isn't that always God's way? This counter-cultural philosophy is rooted in Matthew 6:33: But seek first HIS kingdom and HIS righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. What is the Lord asking YOU TO DO as a next step in seeking first HIS Kingdom in YOUR workplace?

You know, as Martha and I have met, and interviewed hundreds of Christian business leaders over the past eight years, the best one sentence that sums up "faith at work", comes from the team at Kingdom at Work. It's this: "When a kingdom leader engages in a kingdom style, then a kingdom culture within the company emerges and the kingdom of God is advanced." God's process of transformation starts with one person, with one person's faith and obedience. That one person is YOU. And in God's economy, He will take your one act of faith and obedience and multiply for the Kingdom. What one act of faith at work will YOU do today?

As a business leader, if you turned your business over to God, what would that look like? What would be the result? Hundreds of business owners we've interviewed over the past eight years have done it. They say the result is a DEEP sense of peace vs. stress, pressure, and tension. And a new, deepening understanding of their role as a STEWARD of God's business, vs. "being the OWNER of it". What would it take for YOU to be ready to turn YOUR organization over to the Lord's ownership today? We invite you to place Christ in your org. chart as CEO, and commit right now, to shift your mindset from "OWNER to STEWARD".

Every one of us in ministry. What? No, you say, I'm a CPA, I'm an engineer, I manage people at a construction company. Yes, and you are called to be an Ambassador for Christ there. The Apostle Paul agrees, as he wrote to the Ephesians, in Chapter 6 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God's ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should. If Paul can be an ambassador in chains in prison, then we (without chains) can too….wherever He placed us. And God placed YOU in YOUR SPECIFIC WORKPLACE for a reason. For HIS REASONS, not our own.

I learned something new talking with a Physical Fitness company owner in Nashville. The only gift God has given us that we can control 100% is our body. What we eat, how we take care of it, what we feed it, if we are exercising it. Reminds me of Luke 11:36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you. Never thought of that. That we have an obligation to glorify God with our body, and that body is the vehicle that either enables us to work with excellence or not. What will YOU do today, ensure your body is primed to work in excellence unto the Lord?

If you are like me you jump up out of bed, check for emergency text messages, check the weather, rush through your morning devotional time so you can get on to the real work of the day. Just recently Martha and I were reading a book by Kim Avery "The Prayer Powered Entrepreneur" and she suggests a different approach. Kim suggests that when we have our morning quiet time, be quiet and ask our Lord what His priorities are for us today. Instead of letting distractions rule our day, ask the Lord to prioritize our day so His will is done. I'm going to try this from now on, and maybe you would like to do the same. Lord, what is at the top of your priority list for today? I pray that I can do this the rest of my life, what about you?

The wonder-woman complex. It's an unrealistic belief that we as women need to be everything to everybody. Where did that come from? And what's it doing to us? What if instead of trying to BE wonder-woman, we commit to be who God created us to be. .... To get to know our spiritual gifts, talents, strengths, and then went in search of God's heart, to find our true calling? .... What if every woman of faith lived and worked their calling? How much different would our world, our nation, our state, our city, our community, our home, our workplace be? So how about you? Are you tired of being something other than what God created you to be? Visit us online to find resources to change your wonder-woman complex into your true calling.

Darren Shearer, founder of High Bridge Media said recently: A disciple making company disciples the people in it, the industry it's in, and even the community around it. WOW, now that is a tall order. It sounds IMPOSSIBLE. But God….If God is truly behind your company, if He is IN your company, than that statement is supernaturally possible. So how about you? Is your company making disciples of the people in it? Is it making disciples in your industry? Is it making disciples in the community in which your company lives? .... Jesus said to his disciples "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible." We challenge you today, to RE-THINK , and RE-COMMIT your company, and it's reason for existence, to glorify God in making disciples with every person it touches.

Are you dreading Monday? Do you start to lose your joy come Sunday evening? .... What if instead of dreading Monday, you LOOKED FORWARD TO IT? What if instead of moaning about Monday, you prayed away your dread, and replaced it with thanks, and joy and intention? .... To pray that come Monday morning, you would FEEL GOD in your work, as you work. That your work would glorify God, that you would be the best Ambassador for God your workplace has ever seen? .... So how about you? Are you ready to be used by God in your work? To see Monday as a tremendous opportunity, to enjoy your work and to glorify God, and maybe even give your co-workers a glimpse of our Heavenly Father. ....

When's the last time you really saw your co-workers? .... Saw them as real three-dimensional people? Not just a co-worker, workplace mate or just an employee? When's the last time you remembered, that they're a son or daughter of God? .... That they were created, like you, by God, for a purpose. That they are worthy. That they have a life, and that life is just as important as yours. That they're on a journey, their own journey, just like we all are. .... So how about you? We invite you today, to put on God's view of each person you work with, and to see Christ in each of them. And then watch the supernatural transform your work relationships and your workplace.

For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. So how about you? Are you resting from your work? Are you taking a day off every week and keeping it holy? Are you honoring God with your business and keeping the Sabbath, not only for yourself, but for your employees and customers? Two of the giants in retail, Hobby Lobby and Chick-Fil-A are closed on Sunday, and their profits are up! The world says "you're crazy to close on Sunday", but God says differently. If you're working on Sunday, or asking your employees to, we challenge you to go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him "How can I honor you by keeping the Sabbath holy?"

Are you feeling as though you're just going to work on auto-pilot? That you can do your work now, with your eyes closed, with one arm tied behind your back? When's the last time you asked God to stretch YOU, in your work? Comfort is not a place Christ-followers should be camping out in. .... So how about you? Are you brave enough, to ask "Lord, will you stretch me today? Will you put me to better use, in the place where you would have me be? Will you bless me today with the work you have chosen for me, at this time in my life? .... Hebrews 11:6: And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Are you a leader in your organization? If so, what are you doing to care for your team members? Your employees? Are you ignoring the big stresses in their lives? If you are, it could be costing you in a big way. For example: The divorce of a $60,000 a year employee will cost $86,000 in lost productivity. There are legal, low cost remedies to helping your employees get the help they need to calm the sometimes raging seas of their lives. So how about YOU? Are you turning a blind eye to the pain in your workplace? Wake up! Look and listen, and seek to put benefits and programs in place that make employees lives easier. And commit today, to start being the good shepherd. The one who sacrifices his life for the sheep. For more about iWork4Him and our vision to transform the workplace of every Christian into a mission field, go to iWork4Him.com That's iWork the number 4 Him dot com

At work, sometimes we walk away from a meeting or conversation and think to ourselves "Boy, that person sure needs some fixing." But, in reality, if we took a moment, and thought more carefully about it, maybe even looked a little deeper, we may just see what needs to be fixed is US, not them. Leaders know this. They know that the organization is a reflection of WHO they are and WHO they are being. A leader knows that before their "team needs fixing", THEY need fixing first. So how about YOU? Are you a leader that leads knowing they need to fix themselves first? Or are you the leader that looks at all the fixing everyone else needs to do? We challenge you today, if you have a thought about someone else, to first look at yourself, and see what needs to change.

Do you want to see your workplace as a place to live out your faith? Your work is a place where you finally get that chance to be involved in fulltime ministry. Then do these things. 1st Start praying for those you work around, by name every day. 2nd look for ways to serve those same people over and above what your job requires you to do. 3rd look for ways to build a friendship with those you work with, outside of work, where real relationships can develop. 4th Look for ways to pray with people when you see them having a rough day. And 5th, all along be a person of excellence, in your work. Do these things and you will see your workplace transformed by God right before your eyes. We call this the iWork4Him Nation Covenant.

Some things in life are more challenging than others. Like finances. And even more challenging: How do we glorify God with our finances? If you think you've mastered your finances, there's a next step, a better way to glorify God with them. To transform the money we make from working for the Lord, and seeing that it is invested in Kingdom building. It's called Biblically Responsible Investing and it's transforming the way Christians look at the money they invest, and where they invest it. So how about you and your finances? .... Are you willing to look at every dollar and steward it even more for God's Kingdom? If you are, we invite you to pray about it, and go to our website for next steps on how to transform your finances into the ultimate Kingdom resource.

I wonder how much of our life is lived from a place of "taking". Not consciously, but just getting up and living our life, as we go to work and just delve in. I've found my unconscious self is pretty selfish. If I don't pray first, submit in obedience, my day, my hands, my mouth, eyes and ears, to serve all those I come in contact with, I'll just spend all day at work taking what I need and want. .... So how about you? Are you living your life and work day taking? .... We challenge you today, to stop unconsciously working, and living as a taker. But to set up your day from a place of "How can I be a giver today? How can I contribute to everyone I come in contact with?"